Hat-holder.



Patented October 6, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MOKENDREE F. BISHOP, OF ALAll/IEDA, CALIFORNIA.

HAT-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,734, dated October6, 1903.

Application filed February 10, 1903. Serial No. 142,745. (No model.) 1

provements in Hat-Holders, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for suspending articles ofWearing-apparel, and particularly hats and other forms of head-gear; andit consists of a hook member adapted to suspend the article and providedwith a shank forming one member of a pair of jaws, a second member bentinto substantially an inverted- U form loosely connected with the hookmember and having one of its legs lying substantially parallel with theshank of the hook member and forming the second member of the pair ofjaws, and a clamping-lever pivotally connected with the other leg of theU -shaped member and having a bent portion or cam adapted to bear uponthe back of the jaw of the hook member to force said jaw into intimatecontact with the jaw of the U- shaped member, and thereby firmly clampthe brim of a hat or edge of a cap or other article or garment betweenthe two jaws.

The invention further consists of the parts and the construction andcombination of parts, which I will hereinafter describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and inwhich similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the severalfigures, Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a hat or garmenthanger embodying my invention and showing a hat in dotted linessuspended therefrom. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the device.Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the jaws open to receive the hat orgarment or other device to be suspended. Fig. 4 is a modification to bereferred to.

In carrying out my invention I preferto impart to the several partsconstituting the device substantially the configuration illus trated, asI find this design well suited for my purpose and of great simplicityand capable of being manufactured at a minimum cost. However, I do notlimit myself to the precise details shown, as it is evident that theparts are capable of modification without detracting from theirfunctional properties. Therefore modification within reasonable boundsmay be expected as'within the scope of my invention. I

In the form of device herein shown the device consists of threeessential parts, (designated by A, B, and C,)each made of some light yetrelatively stiff more'or less springy material-say sheet metalcapable ofa pleasing finish.

The part A comprises a hook member formed, preferably, of thin sheetmetal, one end of which is bent into hook form, as at a, to enable it toengage over the back of an opera-chair or to hook over a rod edge, pin,or other projection from a chair, wall, or other article or surface. Thehook is formed with a fiat substantially straight shank b,

the width of which is about equal to the width of the hook. At or nearthe junctionof the shank b with the base of the book a the plate fromwhich these parts are made is formed with a circular or otherenlargement c, which has a transverse slot d, whose length may besubstantially equal to the width of the shank, said shank forming one ofthe members e of a pair of smooth clamping-jaws, as I will presentlyexplain.

The member 13 of the device is likewise preferably formed of a thinmetal plate whose width is about equal to the shank b of the piece A,said member B being doubled or bent into substantially an inverted-Uform, and one of its legs f is passed through the aforesaid slot cl andlies parallel with the shank h and forms the second member of the pairof jaws, and between which jaws the brim of the hat or the edge of a capor garment is placed and securely held between the smooth surfaces ofthe jaws without danger of the article or garment being marred orotherwise injured. The bight of the folded piece B rests loosely in theslot d, andthe width of the bight' is such that the piece B has a freelateral movement relative to the piece A, when the jaws are open, toallow the brim of the hat or the edge of the garment to be freelyentered between the jaws. The other leg g of the piece B extendssubstantially parallel with the companion leg, and

one of said legs lies upon each side of the shank of the hook member A,and said other leg has its lower end transversely slotted to form across-bar h, which forms the axis of an angularly-bent locking-lever.This locking-lever C constitutes the third member of the device. One endof it is hingedly secured to the cross-bar h of the part B and thenceextends straight for a suitable distance and is then bent backwardsubstantially parallel with the first-named part to form a head or cam Zand thence extends at an angle to form the long arm or operatingfinger-piece m by which the lever is manipulated.

In operation, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 3, the brimof the hat or other article is slipped into the space between the jaws fand e and the long arm of the lever is pressed downward, thereby causingits head or cam Z to press upon the back of the shank 19, causing theleg of the piece B, with which the lever is connected, to swing outward,the bight of the piece B fulcruming in the slot 0 to permit thismovement. A continued movement of the lever causes the piece 13 to movelaterally in the slot 0 to bring the leg f up against the shank, and afurther movement of the lever causes the head or cam to ride up alongthe back of the shank of the hook member A, the leg 9 of the member Byielding until the head or cam passes the center of movement of thelever, when. the elasticity of the leg 9 of piece B snaps the lever intoa locked position, thus securely clamping the hat or article between thejaws.

In practice the hook member may be attached at any point where there isa projection or surface upon which it may be hung. This may even be abuttonhole in an outer garment.-

The device is simple and is capable of being carried in the pocketwithout annoyance.

It will be found of great convenience as a support for a hat when thelatter is not in actual use, instead of hanging the hat upon a hook orpeg or laying it down, where it is either a source of annoyance andWatchfulness to the owner in places of amusement or public comfort, andavoids maintaining the hat on the knees or lap when the usual hatholdersare not available.

If desired, the lower portion of the shank of the hook member and theouter leg of the doubled member may be corrugated or fluted to formsubstantially interlocking surfaces,

as at IV in Fig. 4, which will be found useful for hanging curtains andother draperies.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A hat or garment hanger comprising a hook member provided with anintegral shank forming a j aw; a bent member passing loosely through theshank of the hook member and having a jaw lying parallel with said shankand between which and the latter the hat or garment is clamped; and alever carried by the bent member and operating against the shank toclose said jaws.

2. A hat or garment holder including ahook member provided with a shankextension forming a jaw; a member formed of a doubled strip or piece ofsheet metal having its bight loosely hung upon said shank said striphaving its legs upon opposite sides of the shank and one of said legsforming a jaw to coact with the first-named jaw; and an angularly-bentlever pivotally hung upon the other leg of said doubled strip andadapted to bear upon the back of the shank and close said jaws.

A hat or garment holder comprising a hook member having a flat shankforming a jaw; a double strip of sheet metal having its bight looselyhung upon said shank whereby its legs lie one upon each side of theshank; and means for spreading the legs of the double strip whereby thehat or garment is clamped between one of said legs and said shank.

4. A hat or garment holder comprising a hook member having an integralshank forming a jaw said shank having a transverse slot; a doubled stripof sheet metal passed through said slot and having its bight looselyhung therein whereby the legs lie one upon each side of the shank, oneof said legs forming a jaw which coacts with the first-named jaw; and alever having one end pivotally hung upon the other leg and having anintermediate port-ion angularly bent to form a head or cam adapted tobear upon the back of the shank to close and lock said jaws andfrictionally hold the hat or garment.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

MOKENDREE F. BISHOP.

Vitnesses:

CHAPMAN W. FOWLER, T. V. FOWLER.

